Alliance for Catholic Education
About the Cristo Rey Network
The Cristo Rey Network is the nation’s largest network of high schools exclusively serving low-income youth. With 40 Catholic, college-preparatory schools enrolling 12,600 students across 24 states, Cristo Rey offers a unique approach to urban education that empowers students with the knowledge, character, and skills to transform their lives. Starting freshman year, Cristo Rey schools foster a culture of high expectations through a blend of rigorous academics, hands-on professional experience via the Corporate Work Study Program, Catholic values, and comprehensive college support. The results speak for themselves: Cristo Rey graduates enroll in and complete college at over twice the rate of other low-income high school graduates.
Position Summary
The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) will serve as the primary academic leader of our expanding network of high schools. This individual will head Cristo Rey Network’s national Leading and Learning team, working in close partnership with school leadership to set a clear, evidence-based, and results-driven academic vision for all Cristo Rey students. The CAO’s responsibilities include advancing educational performance, supporting curriculum, instruction, and assessment, directing professional development, and leading a dedicated academic team serving over 12,000 students across 40 schools. Collaborating with the President & CEO and the senior leadership team, the CAO will play a key role in organizational decision-making and in establishing measurable goals that ensure the effective implementation of Cristo Rey’s mission to promote student success and college readiness. This role reports directly to the President & CEO.
What You’ll Do
Provide Visionary Academic Leadership
Act as the primary messenger and advocate of a unifying academic vision that inspires schools and aligns with our mission.
Develop scalable strategies and resources for all school leaders, focusing on the planning, refinement, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of academic practices across both current and future schools.
Support schools in setting ambitious, measurable goals for student performance, with a focus on growth, achievement, and college readiness.
Foster a culture of collaboration among school leaders, including Presidents, to share and scale effective instructional practices.
Anticipate and address adaptive challenges by promoting a growth mindset and fostering a shared commitment to the Cristo Rey Network’s academic vision, sparking curiosity and openness to innovative strategies, particularly the exploration of AI implementation in academic settings.
Lead the national office Leading and Learning team
Provide leadership to the national academic team, establishing clear goals and assigning focused responsibilities that align with our performance objectives.
Ensure the team has the skills and resources needed to support key initiatives, including school culture, curriculum development, assessment practices, instructional strategies, and leadership growth.
Oversee the enhancement of our college-ready curriculum standards (what we teach), distribute evidence-based instructional methods (how we teach), and maintain a balanced assessment system that uses formative data to inform and adjust instruction.
Integrate emerging AI tools where possible to strengthen curriculum delivery, support personalized learning, and expand formative assessments.
Develop and Elevate Academic Leaders Across the Network
Partner with school Presidents in selecting and onboarding highly qualified Principals for all vacancies within the Network.
Build and oversee a world-class professional development program for academic leaders, with a focus on nurturing an internal pipeline of potential Principal candidates.
Empower Principals and school teams as learning leaders through feedback, coaching, and team-building efforts, reinforcing collaborative leadership models.
Encourage academic leaders to explore AI applications that can enhance instructional practices, support data-driven decision-making, and foster a tech-savvy approach to college and career readiness.
Serve on the Cristo Rey Network Senior Leadership Team
Collaborate on strategic decisions that drive the Network’s mission and impact.
Work closely with colleagues to provide cohesive, well-rounded support to schools, with special coordination alongside Corporate Work Study, College Initiatives, and Talent teams.
Establish external partnerships with leaders in education reform, staying informed on policy developments and technological advancements, particularly in secondary education and AI.
Contribute to grant applications by developing and reviewing educational presentations.
Come to Serve the Mission of Social Justice
Demonstrate a commitment to service, supporting the staff and students of Cristo Rey schools in alignment with our mission.
Consistently promote joy in the work, embracing teamwork, and celebrating successes together, while actively seeking new ways to inspire curiosity and commitment to innovative approaches.
Who You Are
Educational Background: Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees required.
Mission-Driven: Aligned with Cristo Rey’s Catholic mission of serving low-income families and dedicated to empowering communities through education.
Proven Impact on Student Achievement: Demonstrated success in achieving strong student academic outcomes, with a minimum of five years in a principal or school leadership role, ideally within economically challenged communities and serving primarily students of color.
Leadership Experience Across Schools: Broad leadership experience across multiple schools, bringing a wealth of insights and strategies for academic improvement.
Expert in Coaching and Development: Skilled in coaching principals, delivering professional development, and effectively leading teams toward growth.
Track Record in School Improvement: Successfully led initiatives that accelerate student achievement and drive impactful results.
Strong Leadership and People Management Skills: Experienced in leading others to success through strong people management and motivational leadership.
Deep Knowledge Base: Extensive understanding of school culture, curriculum development, data-driven instruction, evidence-based instructional strategies, school operations, and leadership development.
Organized and Detail-Oriented: Highly organized with a keen eye for detail to ensure consistent, high-quality work.
Effective Communicator: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to convey complex ideas clearly and compellingly.
Adaptable and Entrepreneurial: Thrives in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving environment with an entrepreneurial mindset.
Willing to Travel: Able to travel regularly to Cristo Rey Network schools and meetings (approximately 50% travel).
Job Location
This position is ideally based at the Cristo Rey Network national office in downtown Chicago, IL.
How to Apply
Please use this link to apply.
DEIC Commitment
The Cristo Rey Network shares the national office’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Competency commitment statement for interested applicants.